Sri Lanka's High Commission in Ottawa has said that the Canadian Tamil MP, Rathika Sitsabaiesan's claim of political intimidation during a recent visit to Sri Lanka, was an attempt to "unfairly embarrass the Sri Lankan government", in a statement published on Wednesday.

Stating that the reports of political intimidation were "erroneous", Sri Lanka's High Commission instead argued that she had misinterpreted events due to her own political activities. 

The statement said,

"this stated position could be indicative of her seeking to engage in political activity, and being unable to do so in the interest of abiding by Sri Lanka’s immigration laws and regulations, seems to have been interpreted by her as political intimidation."

It added,

"The reference in the same statement on defending principles of human rights further  demonstrates  a self appointed role to pass judgment baselessly on a sovereign State."

Updated 11:45 GMT

Continuing his visit to the island, the US Ambassador at large for War Crimes, Stephen J. Rapp, is visiting the North-East today, along side the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Michele Sison.

A tweet by the US Embassy in Colombo caused controversy after it stated that hundreds of families were killed by army shelling in January 2009, with questions raised on twitter whether this represented the official stance of the US government.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Israeli President Shimon Peres (@PresRajapaksa)

The Israeli president Shimon Peres has received Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa at his residence today, a day after Premier Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Rajapaksa.

Peres hailed the president as a "great leader" who has brought peace, reconciliation and restoration to his people “which is not a small achievement”, reported Colombo Gazette.

“You have come here as a leader with an impressive record. You have invested your heart and mind and days and nights in peace, and you are seeing the fruits. You have come to a region still in search of peace and reconciliation. Israel is determined to make peace,” Peres said.

 

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu (defence.lk)

 

Photo: @AzzamAmeen on Twitter

Hundreds of Sinhalese protestors gathered outside the US Embassy in Colombo earlier today, protesting against the visit of US Ambassador at large for War Crimes, Stephen J. Rapp.

Traffic was closed in one direction as hundreds of supporters brandished placards in English and Sinhalese stating the allegations of war crimes were “unfair”.

Other placards depicted the visiting US Ambassador with fangs and blood streaming from his mouth, labelling Rapp as a “threat to world peace”.

The Bishop of Mannar, Mgr. Rayappu Joseph, has reiterated the need for an international investigation into war crimes on the island, stating that the Tamil people have no faith in domestic commissions.

In a note written to Fides, the Bishop stated,

"We urgently need an international investigation to ascertain the truth about alleged war crimes, given that most of the Tamils in the north and east of the country no longer have confidence in an internal process. This will contribute to reconciliation"

"Thousands of cases of human rights violations, sexual abuse, murder, disappearances, extrajudicial killings remain unpunished."

Describing the current situation in the Tamil homeland, the Bishop went on to say that,

"The people of the North and East still live in fear. The women live in fear of being raped. Others live in fear that the military seize their lands. Many who are in prison live in fear of being tortured. The common people fear the high level of military presence. And all those who criticize the government, including representatives of many churches, live in fear and insecurity."

Sri Lanka’s Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has said that the government is ready to face any US-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in March.

Rambukwella said the government was aware of the US collecting information on Sri Lanka and how this is being done, reported the Colombo Gazette.

The father of a 15 year old boy that passed away on  the 4^th of January, Sivasubramaniyam Veeralingam, was stopped from performing religious rituals at his son’s funeral by the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) today.

The United States will move a resolution seeking an international investigation into the alleged rights abuses in the final months of Sri Lanka’s war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), outlined the US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen J Rapp, on his visit to the North-East.

Rapp  visited Tamil National Alliance representatives and members of the Tamil civil society in the North-East today.

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), an influential group of Buddhist monks, close to the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has demanded a complete ban on halal meat products in Sri Lanka.

General Secretary Galabodaththe Gnanasara said that the organisation will launch an agitation campaign to push for a complete ban, a day after the main muslim organisation on the island, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), declared that halal certification will now be issued by a new company, after they stopped issuing certificates with the end of 2013.